From the Ashes
by WithARoseComesAThorn
Summary: This is my take on the slow burning relationship between Carol and Daryl (Caryl) - I'm new to writing and TWD so please bare with me as I try to get my version of events down on paper...well the internet! FYI - I don't own TWD or any of it's characters, this is just my spin on things.
1. Chapter 1

1.

Chewing his thumb nail slowly, he looks across the camp for what must be the millionth time this evening. The fire is dancing across her face and neck, leaving some of it encased in shadows, but not those eyes of hers. They're brighter than ever and crinkling ever so slightly as she laughs at something Sophia has whispered to her. Her smile splits across her face, and she pulls her little girl closer to her while staring into the orange flicks of the fire. She looks happy. And that makes him happy.

He's not really sure when it happened, but he can hardly remember a time when he wasn't watching Carol. When him and his brother first met her, she was with a man, if you could call him that. Good-f'nothing, low life who seemed to take great pride in beating her and making her feel small. Merle had told him to mind his business, and that he had no right interfering with a man and his wife. Although it didn't feel right to him, he did what he was told and over time learned that it was better to simply stay away from the camp when it happened, or to go on a long hunt to make sure one of his arrows didn't end up in that man's eye socket.

At first Daryl used to think she was weak sitting there and taking the beatings that they all heard no matter how little she cried out. But over time he came to realise that it wasn't cause she didn't care, it was cause she didn't know no better. He saw it in the way she carried herself whenever he daughter wasn't around, arms wrapped around herself like she was holding herself together.

Hell, he could relate to that. After all, his daddy was the same as him. Mean. A drunk and a bully. While he wasn't walking around with bruises every other day, there was certainly a time when he was. To this day, his back was still a smorgasbord of scars, from one weapon or another –usually a belt or a cigarette, but on one occasion a knife. He still hates people looking at it, looking at him really. Don't need no pity, it was what it was. Life. Didn't make it right though.

So from the start you could say, Daryl had noticed Carol. Yeah he'd noticed her. But he did the one thing that everyone else hadn't thought to do. He didn't underestimate her. Sure he'd hung back, knowing that there's only so long before she'd make a move. After all, you can only be burned so many times before you rise from the ashes. As it happened, he didn't have to wait too long to see it.


	2. Chapter 2

The day had been like any other, it was hot as hell. He'd buried himself in the forest earlier than normal wanting to get away from camp before people started getting up, Merle included. After catching two rabbits and three squirrels (and putting down a walker or two) he figured now would be as good a time as any to return to the camp, it was getting dark after all.

By the time he reached the camp, he could see that Ed had practically drunk himself into an abyss, but was still clutching firmly to what looked like a bottle of whiskey. Rolling his eyes as he walked past him, he passed the animals to the blonde haired lady and made his way to his brother who seemed to be tickled pink.

"Would you look at that…Mouse looks like she's good and ready to kill her husband tonight bro". Daryl gazed in their general direction and noticed that Carol was practically dragging her husband away from the fire, and the newly abandoned whiskey he was reaching back for. "Maybe that means you stand a chance with her after all Darylina".

"Shut up Merle" he growled. Still watching the exchange between husband and wife he noticed Carol's stance change when Ed roughly lost his footing and swore at his wife. Daryl's breath hitched as he watched the drunk chase after his wife, and his knuckles turned white from where he was grasping his crossbow so tightly. Feeling his brother's hand on his shoulder, Daryl shrugged harshly to get it off. "Easy bro, it's not your place"

"Hmmmhmmm" he mumbled before stalking off in the direction they'd been heading. He knew he shouldn't interfere between a man and his wife, but he couldn't stand idly by and watch her get hit. _It wasn't right. No woman deserved that._

As he watched Ed stagger towards Carol from the shadows, he thought it strange that she didn't look nervous at all. In fact, she looked calm…eerily so. Having always prided himself on being an observant person, Daryl was shocked when he noticed that Carol had something in her hand. It looked like, but wait it couldn't be…was that a…a skillet?

Ed got himself up in a huff, but then fell to the floor again in a stupor. Rather than walk away, he noticed Carol edge up to him closely. A smile made its way across her face before she raised the skillet and started to lay into him hitting his back and legs. _Was this really the mouse?_

Daryl coughed out a laugh which spooked her, and caused her to look into the shadows trying to find its source. He stepped further back into the shadows and continued to watch her with a smile on his face. After a moment or two she walked off and Daryl walked up to Ed and kicked his shoe. _He was definitely out._ If not from the stupor, he was sure that Carol had added to his current unconscious state. Chuckling to himself, he made a mental note not to get on Carol's bad side, before considering how on earth she was going to explain it in the morning when Ed got up. Turned out he needn't have worried at all.

"What the hell happened to me woman" Ed demanded grasping Carol's arm tightly as she went to move past him with a bundle of washing in her hand. Daryl steadied himself preparing to get involved, when she suddenly glanced at him and just as quickly returned her gaze back to her husband. _Did she know I was there last night?_ A sphynx-like smile ghosted across her face, and disappeared before her husband could notice. "You fell down the quarry Ed, you don't remember?"

 _Yeah, I definitely don't want to piss off the mouse._


	3. Chapter 3

After the night he watched her beat her husband, Daryl had to admit to himself that he was impressed by the mouse. She may have been quiet and liked to hang back and observe situations, but that only added to her appeal in his mind. Sure she may have been a bit older than the other women in the camp, but they were annoying as heck. Particularly that stupid brunette who tried to come across all high and mighty, but she didn't really contribute shit.

Not like Carol. She had a purpose. Cooking and cleaning may not seem like much in the midst of a zombie apocalypse, but heck if she didn't do it, they'd probably never eat anything that resembled a meal. More than that, she always made sure everyone got to eat. No matter if it meant holding meals back for him and Merle if they'd been out all day, she'd make sure they came back to something. It was nice, to have someone that thought about them.

He was messing with his bow, you know the usual - taking it apart and putting it back together again, when he noticed Carol's brow furrow over the pot. He knew that she was frustrated with the lack of taste finesse to her squirrel stew, hell it's all they'd been eating lately. But if the animals weren't out, there was little he could do about that. Not like he could walk into a supermarket and pick up some chicken!

Daryl half smiled to himself watching that line work itself into her forehead as she tasted the broth, knowing full well it wouldn't taste any different than yesterdays or the day be fore's (save for the fact they'd run out of tinned carrots). After watching her worry about the stew for a few minutes, he figured now was as good as time as any to put her out of misery. Shucking his crossbow on his shoulder, Daryl silently made his was across camp and stood behind Carol.

He almost forgot sometimes how quiet he could be, and cleared his throat to alert her to his presence. She swivelled around quickly, putting a hand on her chest "Oh jeez! You frightened me".

Flicking his bangs out of his eyes, Daryl grimaced and then looked down to the floor. "M'sorry".

"It's okay Daryl…just didn't hear you come up that's all". He waited a beat too long before clearing his throat and looking up at her before holding out his hand suddenly, "I urm…I found these today while walking today. Figured maybe you'd want 'em".

Carol looked down to his hand and noticed some wild herbs crushed slightly, before a wide smile stretched across her face. "Oh Daryl, these are fantastic" she whispered before scooping them out of his hands and throwing them straight into the pot and stirring enthusiastically. Daryl stood there for a moment really still while his face heated up at her touch and compliment. "Ummhmmm" he eventually grunts before shuffling off back to where he was sitting.

He'd been chewing on his thumbnail for a while thinking over their interaction. It's not like he was some pervert or anything. He was just surprised. Nerves…the mouse had made him nervous, and he wasn't entirely sure why. He was a Dixon for Christ sake. Sure, he wasn't like Merle, after anything that had boobs and a pulse. But he'd been with plenty of women before the whole world went to hell.

But the way she'd smiled at him had made him feel…well different. Yeah…the mouse was definitely not what she seemed.


End file.
